Best

Best- Great stuff - tested and approved in our top-secret labs.

PALM-BASED HANDHELDS

First Class:
Handspring Visor Prism
Palm OS handhelds started as mere organizers, but with new software and attachments (sold separately), they threaten to replace every other type of portable device. Handspring's Visor Prism smoothly handles all of its roles - GPS receiver, MP3 player, pager, camera, game platform, cell phone - thanks to a 33-MHz processor. The 16-bit color screen does snapshots and games justice, and if the stock 8 Mbytes of memory isn't enough, the Springboard expansion slot lets you add more. The Prism quick-syncs to your PC or Mac desktop via USB cradle, and its lithium-ion battery lasts up to two weeks between charges.

Visor Prism: $449. Handspring: (888) 565 9393, www.handspring.com.

Business Class:
Sony CLIÉ PEG-S300
Powered by a 20-MHz processor, Sony's monochrome CLIÉ rivals the sleek cool of Palm's Vx. The thumbwheel, unique among Palm handhelds, lets you scroll and select without all the stylus-poking. The 8-Mbyte stick (included) doubles CLIÉ's RAM to a healthy 16 Mbytes right out of the box, and its rechargeable lithium-ion battery powers two weeks of regular use. Sony promises expansion modules like digital cameras and GPS antennas for the Memory Stick slot.

CLIÉ PEG-S300: $399. Sony: (800) 352 7669, www.sony.com/clie.

Coach:
Palm m100
The m100 comes with a 16-MHz CPU and 2 Mbytes of memory - enough to handle classic Palm apps but insufficient for storing photo albums. The curvy, AAA-powered PDA has no expansion slot, but clever third-party vendors offer MP3 players, modems, and keyboards that plug into its synchronization port. A tough, plastic-covered screen takes hard knocks without cracking, and swappable faceplates let you match your Palm with your mood.

m100: $149. Palm: (800) 881 7256, www.palm.com.

MINIDV CAMCORDERS

First Class:
Sony DCR-VX2000
Digital video on miniDV tape surpasses the quality and editing flexibility of analog formats like Hi-8 - with smaller tapes. Sony's magnesium-clad miniDV camcorder uses three 380,000-pixel CCDs (one per color: red, green, and blue) to produce a 530-line horizontal-resolution picture with an accuracy and sensitivity that single-CCD systems miss. Optical image stabilization ensures a steady picture with the 12X optical/48X digital zoom. The Accupower meter shows how much battery time remains; back in the studio, the camera connects to most editing systems via the Control-L jack.

DCR-VX2000: $3,199. Sony: (800) 222 7669, www.sony.com.

Business Class:
JVC GR-DVM90
With a single 680,000-pixel CCD sensor, JVC's vertical-format camcorder fills miniDV tapes with a 520-line video picture. The lens offers 10X optical zoom, which video processing boosts to 200X digital, although superhigh magnifications just give big blocks of color. Electronic image stabilization eliminates jitters, but overall resolution suffers. You can assemble-edit on-camera, and apply 12 effects and 8 scene transitions - but the fancy wipes are best reserved for comic relief.

GR-DVM90: $1,699.95. JVC: (800) 252 5722, www.jvc.com.

Coach:
Panasonic PV-DV100
Panasonic's budget camcorder has the larger-format look and feel of older 8-mm and Compact VHS cameras, but its performance is pure DV. With a 460,000-pixel CCD, it records a 450-line picture and zooms to 18X optical/300X digital, with electronic image stabilization. Like the higher-priced choices, it uses miniDV tapes and has a 2.5-inch color LCD screen, SP/LP record modes, and standard output jacks.

PV-DV100: $899.95. Panasonic: (800) 211 7262, www.panasonic.com.

POCKET LIGHTERS

First Class:
Alfred Dunhill Unique Turbo Sport
Yesterday's freebasing paraphernalia is today's cigar bar showpiece. Whatever the venue, butane-burning jet-turbo lighters are the flame of choice. Dunhill's Unique Turbo Sport leads the pack, combining windproof practicality with retro-style elegance. The silver- and rhodium-plated accessory feels more substantial than cheaper refillables, and with proper care, it will last a smoker's lifetime. The blue flame, at 2,804 degrees Fahrenheit, ignites with a flick of the piezoelectric lever, and the butane fuel emits no chemical scent.

Unique Turbo Sport: $275. Alfred Dunhill: (800) 776 4053, www.dunhill.com.

Business Class:
Blue Flame PB-207
This 3-inch micro torch is about half the price of gunmetal lighters from Colibri and Prometheus, but its 2,372-degree Fahrenheit, windproof jet-turbo flame burns hotter, letting you melt glass, solder circuit boards, and cut attractive candle-lantern patterns into beer cans. Pop the butane-fueled pyro toy into its stand, lock down the plunger, and use it like a Bunsen burner. The hard plastic case stays cool as you run your experiments.

Blue Flame PB-207: $39. Available from iwantoneofthose.com: +44 (208) 674 8707, www.iwantoneofthose.com.

Coach:
Zippo Windproof Lighter
The Zippo classic flint lighter has remained basically the same for more than 65 years, and many tobacconists still deem it their favorite. The chrome-plated brass artifact is your entrée to a subculture of kitsch collectors and dexterous tricksters who can flip the cap and flick the steel wheel with one hand. Other lighters impress, but the Zippo provides genuine atmosphere - beginning with the distinctive scent of slow-oozing lighter fluid.

Windproof Lighter: $12.95. Zippo: +1 (814) 368 2700, www.zippo.com.